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19
August

AIR-CT 2504 vs. AIR-CT 3504 Wireless Controllers: Product Comparison

The Cisco Wireless LAN prevents cyberattacks and other malicious intrusions to sensitive network resources. The topics of discussion for today are the two controllers that offer wireless functions across the entire system from the small to midsized business enterprises to branch offices. To control the whole organization, lightweight wireless access points (APs) from the controller are leveraged to make changes within a matter of minutes if required. These access points are designed for 802.11n and 802.11ac performance while the controllers are utilized to act as data-serving devices and IDS sensors at the same time.

Today, we will be conducting a product comparison of 2504 and 3504 Wireless LAN Controllers. Although Cisco does not sell 2504 anymore, however, it still offers support till 2023. This should not discourage you from achieving your desired goals. Get in touch with ORM Systems and we will help you find the Wireless LAN Controllers that would be best suited for your business.

In this article, we have provided a detailed analysis of both 2405 and 3504 Wireless LAN Controllers and even juxtapose them in tables in order for you to find the most suitable option for network infrastructure.

Let’s get started.

Cisco 2504 Wireless LAN Controller

The Cisco 2504 Wireless Controller supports Cisco Application Visibility and Control (AVC). It’s the technology that features Cisco’s Network-Based Application Recognition 2 (NBAR-2) engine which classifies applications by conducting deep packet inspection (DPI) and aligns them into the quality of service (QoS) to either mark or drop the traffic. As a result, it prioritizes crucial business applications in the network. In order to export the flows to a third-party NetFlow Collector or CiscoPrime™ Infrastructure, Cisco AVC makes use of NetFlow Version 9. Apart from supporting AVC, Cisco 2504 also supports Bonjour Services Directory. That makes it easier to advertise and utilize Bonjour (Apple) Series in a separate Layer 3 network. The Wireless Policy engine on the Cisco 2500 Series Wireless Controller has the ability to profile and enforce policies, that includes QoS, ACL, VLAN assignment, and time-of-day-based access.

Enterprise Wireless Mesh

· Enables access points to be connected to the wireless networks without the need to physically connect them to the wired network.

· Available on select Cisco Aironet access points, Enterprise Wireless Mesh is best suited for large space areas where establishing a wired connection may be onerous or visually unattractive such as schools, colleges, warehouses, manufacturing plants, shopping centers, and more.

OfficeExtend

· Supports mobile and remote workers by providing corporate wireless services along with secure wired tunnels to the Cisco Aironet^® 600, 1130, 1140, or 3500 Series Access Points.

· Establishes corporate network connection to remote areas without the need for any high-end setups and maintenance requirements.

· Enhances efficiency and allows the team to seamlessly collaborate, especially at remote site locations.

· Enables both corporate and personal Internet access by leveraging Separate Service Set Identifier (SSID).

· Contributes to reducing carbon emissions due to minimal need for commuting.

PCI Integration and End-to-End Voice

The 2504 Wireless Controller features Payment Card Industry (PCI) Integration which is ideal for retail businesses having data applications for transactions such as kiosks and scanners. It features Unified Communications which allows the team to collaborate via voice and video communication. The Wireless Controller offers affordable and real-time voice services as it supports all Cisco Unified Wireless IP Phones.

Cisco 3504 Wireless LAN Controller

The 3504 Wireless LAN Controller is compact and offers a high level of flexibility and scalability that enables next-gen wireless networks. The Series supports 802.11ac Wave 2 performance and is optimum for small to midsized business enterprises along with small and home offices. It also offers versatility supporting mesh, centralized, and distributed deployment to be leveraged at various locations.

Cisco DNA SD-Access, Analytics, and Assurance

The 3504’s SD-Access Wireless is the first of its kind to have policy-based automation from the edge to the cloud. It’s the most advanced level architecture for enterprise networks. It allows a user or any device to easily access the network to any application with a high level of security.

In addition to SD-Access, the 3504 has also Cisco DNA Analytics and Assurance that offers wide-ranging network visibility. To troubleshoot issues, the Cisco DNA Analytics and Assurance collects data from users, devices, and applications. These issues are easily resolved with network analytics and automation, increasing availability that provides an exceptional user experience.

Fault Tolerance and High Availability

· To deliver application availability without interruption, sub-second access point, and client failover is leveraged.

· Redundant connectivity of 1 Gigabit Ethernet or Cisco Multigigabit Ethernet (up to 5 Gigabit Ethernet).

· SSD-based storage – no moving parts.

Cisco 2504 and 3504 WLC Benefits Comparison

Feature	2504	3504
Scalability And Performance	· Supports up to 1000 Clients and 75 APs · Wired-network speed and non-blocking performance for 802.11n and 802.11ac networks. · Supports up to 1 Gbps throughput.	· Supports up to 3000 Clients and 150 APs · 4x1 Gigabit Ethernet, 1x Multigigabit Ethernet interface (supports up to 5 Gigabit Ethernet) · Supports up to 4-Gbps throughput, 4096 VLANs
RF Management	· Offers comprehensive information about RF interference across controllers.	· In addition to 2504 RF management features, it also optimizes signals’ performance.
All-inclusive End-To-End Security	· Offers CAPWAP-compliant Datagram Transport Layer Security (DTLS) that encrypts CAPWAP data packets sent between an access point and the controller.	· Offers CAPWAP-compliant DTLS encryption on the control plane.
High-Performance Video	· Cisco VideoStream technology optimizes the delivery of video applications across the WLAN	· Cisco VideoStream technology optimizes the delivery of video applications across the WLAN
Management For IPv6 & Dual-Stack Clients	· Equips administrators for IPv6 troubleshooting, planning, and client traceability from a common wired and wireless management system	· Equips administrators for IPv6 planning, troubleshooting, and client traceability from Cisco Prime Infrastructure

Wireless Controller Features And Benefits

The Cisco 3504 and 2504 Wireless Controller is intent-driven Cisco DNA ready with Cisco Multigigabit Ethernet technology is a platform that offers a high level of scalability, resiliency, and flexibility, enabling next-gen wireless networks for small to midsized business enterprises, small offices, and home offices.

The features of these Wireless Controllers include:

· Compact design with a small form factor which is perfect for deployments in locations with limited space. Although they’re small but it doesn’t compromise on their features.

· Wireless intrusion prevention system (wIPS) capabilities, centralized security policies, award-winning RF management, and quality of service (QoS) for voice and video.

· Sub-second access point and client failover to provide availability of application without any interruptions.

· Leveraging Cisco TrustSec® technology these controllers provide software-defined segmentation, mitigating Access Control List (ACL) complexity, maintenance, and overhead.

· A dynamic GUI for swift deployment and configuration and intuitive dashboards to monitor and troubleshoot issues.

· Bonjour, Chrome cast, and Guest access services in centralized deployments.

· Top-notch visibility into application traffic by leveraging the technology of Cisco Visibility and Control (AVC) that includes the Network-Based Application Recognition 2 (NBAR2) engine which has Cisco’s Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) capabilities. Thus, it gives customers the option to export the flow to Cisco Prime Infrastructure or any third-party Net Flow collector.

· Cisco Multigigabit Ethernet technology to support next-generation 802.11ac Wave 2 deployments leveraging existing cabling infrastructure.

· Intent-driven programmability and streaming telemetry.

· An embedded wireless Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) policy classification engine, allowing classification of application of user group-based policies and client devices.

· Integrated Cisco CleanAir® technology, providing a wireless network that self-heals and self-optimizes.

· Cisco DNA, SD-Access Wireless, and Cisco DNA Assurance.